Difference between revisions of "Crown Of Thorns"

<p> <b> CROWN OF THORNS </b> <b> ( </b> στέφανος ἐξ ἀκανθῶν or ἀκάνθινος στέφανος, Matthew 27:29, Mark 15:17, John 19:2; John 19:5).—This was plaited by the soldiers and placed on Christ’s head in mockery of His claim to Kingship, after [[Pilate]] had condemned Him to be scourged. It was a garland hastily twisted from the twigs of some thorny plant, which it is difficult now to identify. Tristram ( <i> Nat. Hist. of the [[Bible]] </i> , p. 429) supposes it was the thorn-tree or <i> nubk </i> of the Arabs, which is very common in the warmer parts of Palestine. It abounds near Jerusalem, grows to a great size; its twigs are tough and pliant, and the spikes very sharp and numerous. Others incline to think it was the <i> Zizyphus Spina-christi </i> , a spiny plant covered with sharp prickles. The purpose of the soldiers was rather, perhaps, mockery of the [[Jews]] than cruelty to Christ. Pliny speaks ( <i> HN </i> ) of ‘the meanest of crowns, a thorny one.’ </p> <p> In the writings of St. [[Paul]] a crown is promised to faithful followers of Christ, and in many parts of the NT [[Christ]] Himself is spoken of as wearing a crown. Sometimes the word for a victor’s wreath is used (στέφανος), and sometimes that for a royal crown (διάδημα).* [Note: The distinction between στέφανος, the badge of merit, and διάδημα, the badge of royalty, is not consistently observed in [[Hellenistic]] [[Greek]] (see Encyc. Bibl. i. 963).] The emblematic significance, afterwards seen by the [[Church]] in the crown of thorns, is possibly hinted at in Hebrews 2:9 ‘crowned with glory and honour.’ As a sacrificial victim, in being led out to death, often wore a garland of flowers, so Jesus, in the eyes of [[God]] and His own disciples, even in suffering the deepest humiliation, wears a crown of glory. In the death of Christ His Church sees mankind crowned with life, because the law of sin and death was thereby abrogated, and the [[Kingdom]] of heaven opened to all believers. The thorns with which a hostile world pierced the Saviour’s brows are an emblem of the sin of man, the curse of thistles and thorns having been threatened after the [[Fall]] (see Dr. H. Macmillan’s <i> [[Ministry]] of Nature </i> , ch. v., where this idea is finely worked out). But these wounds become the world’s salvation. Through the sinful cruelty of man new life comes to a condemned world. God thus makes the wrath of man to praise Him. What was meant as derision is really a prediction of glory. See also art. Thorn. </p> <p> [[David]] M. W. Laird. </p>

<p> [[Crown]] of Thorns. Matthew 27:29 Our Lord was crowned with thorns, in mockery, by the [[Roman]] soldiers. Obviously, some small flexile thorny shrub is meant perhaps Capparis spinosa. "Hasselquist, a Swedish naturalist, supposes a very common plant naba or nubka of the Arabs, with many small and sharp spines; soft, round and pliant branches; leaves much resembling ivy, of a very deep green, as if, in designed mockery, of a victor's wreath." - Alford. </p>

<p> (στἐφανος ἐξ ἀκανθῶν, Matthew 27:29). Our Lord was crowned with thorns in mockery by the [[Roman]] soldiers. The object seems to have been insult, and not the infliction of pain, as has generally been supposed. The Rhamnus, or Spina Christi, although abundant in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, cannot be the plant intended, because its thorns are so strong and large that it could not have been woven (πλέξαντες ) into a wreath. The large-leaved acanthus (bear's-foot) is totally unsuited for the purpose. Had the acacia been intended, as some suppose, the phrase would have been ἐξ ἀκάνθης . Obviously some small, flexile thorny shrub is meant; perhaps cappares spinosce (Reland's Palaest. 2:525). Hasselquist (Travels, p. 260) says that the thorn used was the [[Arabian]] nulk. "It was very suitable for their purpose, as it has many sharp thorns which inflict painful wounds; and its flexible, pliant, and round branches might easily be plaited in the form of a crown." It also resembles the rich dark green of the triumphal ivy-wreath, which would give addition. al pungency to its ironical purpose (Rosenmü ller, [[Botany]] of Script. p. 202, Eng. ed.). [[Another]] plant commonly fixed upon is the "southern buckthorn," which was very suitable to the purpose. (See [[Bramble]]). On the empress Helena's supposed discovery of the crown of thorns, and its subsequent fate, see Gibbon, 2:306; 6:66, ed. Milman. — Smith, s.v. Treatises on the crown in question have been written in [[Latin]] by Bartholin (Hafn. 1651), Bottier (in the Bibl. Brem. 8:942), [[Frenzel]] (Viteb. 1667, 1679), Gitsch (Altdorf, 1694), Gonsager (Hafn. 1713), Lü demann (Viteb. 1679), Sagittarius (Jena, 1672), Wedel (Jena, 1696), Glauch (Lips. 1661), Hallmann (Rost. 1757), Mü ller (in Menthenii Thes. 2:230-233). (See [[Thorn]]). </p>